Battery clamp



Oct. 2, 1956 T. B. ANDERSON BATTERY CLAMP Filed March 16, 1955 INVENTOR.

BATTERY CLAMP Thure B. Anderson, Cranston, R. L, assignor to The iCfesflent Company, Inc., a corporation of Rhode san Application March 16, 1955, Serial No. 494,719

3 Claims. (Cl. 339-227) 'Thisapplication is acontinuation. in part of application Serial No. 381,308, filed September 21, 1953, now Patent No. 2,713,155, granted July 12, 1955, for Battery Clamp.

The present invention relates to electrical connections and has particular reference to the construction of a battery terminal for clamping a cable to a battery binding post.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a battery terminal clamp of soft metal having an imbedded reinforcing clip.

Another object of the invention is to provide a reinforced battery terminal clamp which is relatively free from fracture under the strain of clamping upon a battery post.

A further object of the invention is to provide a reinforced battery terminal clamp which resists deformation of the parts while providing effective contact when tightening force is exerted.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a battery terminal clamp of cast soft metal having a reinforcing insert, the insert having centralizing parts for positioning within the mold during the casting operation.

Another object is to provide the reinforcing insert with spaced projecting parts, whereby no extended insert surface remains uncovered during the casting operation.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, the invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts, more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and more specifically defined in the claims appended thereto.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top view of an illustrative connector with the novel terminal connector clamp;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the reinforcing clip;

Fig. 5 is a front end view thereof;

Fig. 6 is a rear view thereof; and

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a preferred blank for the reinforcing insert.

It has been found advisable to provide a battery terminal clamp of cast metal, with a sheet metal reinforcing insert in the form of a ring clip, the clip having parts which serve to position it centrally within the mold during the casting operation, whereby the clip is completely encased. To this end, I form the clip, which is preferably of resilient sheet metal, with a tongue to be wedged into the end of a cable wire, and with spaced ring ears having laterally extending prongs, whereby the tongue holds the clip in central vertical position and the ear prongs hold the clip in central transverse position in the mold during the casting operation, to properly imbed the clip in the softer encasing cast metal. I further provide the inner surfaces of the ring ears with inwardly extending projections which are in point contact with a core rod extending therethrough during the casting operation, where- States Patent 0 2,765,451 Patented Oct. 2,.11956 )2 by there is no possibility of the .ring ear inner'surfaces raving-any substantial portion thereof in uncovered reation.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows an illustrative battery cable 10, consisting of a lead 11 having a multiple linear-strand wire core 12 and an insulating cover 13, a lug connection 14 at oneend, and a battery terminal clamp 15 at the other end.

The battery terminal clamp 15 isof cast soft metal 16 with anrimbedded steel clip 17, and includes a body 18 with a stepped thimble 19 at oneend intowhich the cable wire core 12 and'its coverendextends as illustrated, the body 18 having two spacedjaws 20, '21 at'the other end with .an arcuate'inner-surface 22 which forms an aperture for seating a'battery post therein, the jaws having aligned bores .23, 324 for receiving a lock 'bolt '25; one jaw 21 is cut away to provide a shouldered recess 26 for the bolt head.

The sheet metal clip 17 is ring shaped, as shown in Fig. 4, and includes an annular split band base 27 having a rear recess 28 extending from the upper edge to the median portion, and a rearwardly extending and upwardly inclined horizontal centrally positioned tongue 29 of generally triangular form, which extends into and is received by the strand wire core 12. The ring base 27 has two forwardly extending parallel ears 30, 31 of circular form and with openings 32, 33 axially aligned with the bores 23, 24 of the jaws 20, 21, the forward portions of the ears having laterally extending prongs 34, 35 at their outer ends bent to extend inwardly towards each other and slightly inclined downwardly as illustrated.

The openings 32, 33 of the ears 30, 31 are preferably provided with spaced ribs or projections 36 of narrow width, whereby there is only limited contact with an inserted core rod when casting to imbed the clip in the battery terminal clamp metal.

The clip is shaped up from a stamped blank 27a, see Fig. 7, having a central recess 28a at one side in which a triangular tongue 29a is positioned; the blank has two end ears 30a, 31a of generally annular shape, with transverse inner ribs or projections 36a and downwardly inclined prongs 34a, 35a as illustrated, the number designations for the blank parts corresponding to the number designations for the same parts of the clip.

When casting the battery terminal clamp, the clip is inserted into the mold, with the tongue 29 inserted into the wire core end, which may be slightly twisted, if desired, to require a greater breaking pull. The tongue is thus held to centrally position the clip horizontally in the mold; the ear prongs engage the sides of a standard type clamp core base, keep the clip centrally in transverse relation to the sides of the mold, and the ribs or projections 36 seat on the surface of a standard type transverse core rod, whereby the clip is completely embedded in the cast metal. The rear recess 28, the tongue 29, and the ear prongs 34, 35 all help lock the clip 17 within the cast body metal.

Although I have disclosed a specific construction of my invention, it is obvious that changes in the size, shape and arrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A battery terminal clamp, comprising a body of soft cast metal having an arcuate inner surface providing a battery terminal seat, a thiinble at one end for receiving a cable wire, and spaced jaws at the other end, said jaws having aligned bolt receiving bores, said body having a split ring steel clip imbedded therein, the clip having an arcuate base concentric with the arcuate body inner surface and two forwardly extending ears extending into the bodyjaws, said ears having openings therethrough aligned with the bolt receiving bores, said clip base having a rearwardly extending tongue for insertion into the cable wire and within, the thimble and said ears having laterally extending prongs at their outer ends, said ear openings having spaced projecting parts of narrow width extending radially inwardly.

2. A battery terminal clamp, comprising a body of soft cast metal having an arcuate inner surface providing a battery terminal seat, a thimble at one end for receiving a cable wire, and spaced jaws at the other end, said jaws having aligned bolt receiving bores, said body having a split ring steel clip imbedded therein, the clip having a arcuate base concentric with the arcuate body inner surface and two forwardly extending ears extending into the body jaws, said ears having openings therethrough aligned with the bolt receiving bores, said clip base having a rear recess and a centrally positioned rearwardly extending tongue inclined upwardly for insertion into the cable wire end within the thimble and said ears having laterally inwardly extending prongs at their outer ends bent downwardly, said ear openings having spaced projecting parts of narrow width, extending radially inwardly.

3. A metal clip insert for a battery terminal clamp, having an arcuate base and two forwardly extending parallel ears having aligned openings, said base having a rear recess and a centrally positioned upwardly inclined and rearwardly extending tongue, said ears having laterally inwardly extending prongs at their outer ends bent downwardly, said ear openings having spaced pro- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Plachy Jan. 3, 1939 Anderson July 12, 1955 

